


December 29th

by nobodynose



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Minecraft (Video Game)
Genre: Cliffhangers, Execution, Gen, Mature for violence and swearing, POV First Person, Possible Character Death, Running Away, Tubbo Centric (Tubbo POV), idk how to tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:55:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28363515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobodynose/pseuds/nobodynose
Summary: Quackity seems overly eager to kill, Fundy hasn't spoken a word, there's obsidian everywhere, and I could've sworn I saw some invisibility particles over there.The L'manburg Festival 2020
Relationships: Floris | Fundy & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Ranboo & Toby Smith | Tubbo, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit, Toby Smith | Tubbo & TommyInnit & Ranboo
Comments: 9
Kudos: 72





	December 29th

**Author's Note:**

> Not my prediction, but an outcome that I wouldn't mind happening.
> 
> It's written kinda messily and I left out a lot of my original ideas so I might rewrite it someday but I hope you enjoy what I got.

I stepped back and watched as the people piled in, looking up in awe at the decorations we had set up for the occasion. 

"Hi guys!" I sparked casually as they passed me on the path, "Welcome to the festival! It's gonna be fun!"

Today was the L'manburg Festival. I'd be lying to you if I said I wasn't uncomfortable right now. Setting up an execution for Dream when he thinks he's being brought on stage for a speech? If that isn't history repeating itself, then I don't know what is.

And, even just standing on the side of the path right now, looking up on the stage, I'm getting some not-good flashbacks from the Manburg Festival. I've been trying to forget it ever happened, but it did, and I remember it.

It's almost as if I can still feel the arrow from Techno's crossbow piercing straight through my chest, my ears ringing as I try to let out a scream, but all that comes out of my mouth is blood.

And then waking up, in my bed, thinking it was all a dream until I heard the commotion outside. Running. A lot of running. Tommy and Techno, screaming at one another as they tried to escape all of the people chasing them. 

" _ You killed Tubbo!" _

But I wasn't even dead. Dying without becoming dead, now what kind of hell is that supposed to be?

I shivered as I remember the way Techno stared at Schlatt, before inevitably doing the deed. 

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned, startled, to see Ranboo, looking at me concerned, "Are you okay?"

I nodded hesitantly, "Y-yeah. Just… remembering."

Ranboo nodded, and looked like he was going to say something else, but thought against it. "Are you ready for today?" He said quietly, so that anyone overhearing couldn't.

I didn't nod, but said, "Yeah, I think." He nodded and the two of us stood in silence for a moment more before I started on a tangent, "Are you sure this right?  _ Execution? _ Maybe that's… maybe that's too far."

Ranboo shrugged, "I don't know. It's- it's on a complicated spot on the morality scale."

I nodded, biting my lips. Everything about today just sat in a weird spot with me. It was almost as if deep down, I knew it wasn't going to go according to plan. Why would it?

"Eyyyy Mr. President!" Quackity walked up to us, a certain bounce in his step. He seemingly did not have any second thoughts when it came to today. "Today's the day, guys! Green man, he's gonna go-" He pulled his hand over his neck, symbolizing decapitation. 

"Don't be so loud about it." Ranboo chuckled nervously. 

He shrugged, yelling at the top of his lungs, "That was a joke! To anyone listening" 

I cringed and tried to stiffle a small laugh, but Quackity was just off the charts right then, wasn't he?

Quackity stood beside me, pushing Ranboo out of the way slightly to get there, and patted my back, "You ready for today, big man? Exciting, yeah?"

I nodded slowly, not responding. I considered airing out my grievances to Quackity, but something inside me told me that maybe that wasn't the best idea. He seemed to be in a good mood, and concerningly excited about this public execution. 

He nodded at me and left, bouncing around to the different games stationed around the dock, sparking conversation with the people playing them.

"Are we supposed to be concerned about him?" Ranboo asked, watching as Quackity 'playfully' punched Dream on the shoulder after he lost a game of cornhole. 

I shook my head, but was only half-sure myself. "No- I- No. He's loyal. He knows what he's doing. He'll be fine."

Ranboo let out an amused exhale, "He seems very excited about a public execution. I hope he knows he'll be in charge of cleanup." And with that, he walked away to join the festivities. 

I couldn't move though, my mind was racing. Something's  _ bound  _ to go wrong, and what are the chances it'll be my fault? I'm the only one having second thoughts right now. I'm the one who's gonna switch up the plan at the last minute because I'm just selfish like that.

I can't change the plan anymore, unless I  _ want  _ something to go wrong. The plan is to go with the plan, no matter how many of the voices in the back of my head tell me it's wrong.

And with that, I took a deep breath and walked up onto the stage, adjusting the microphone a bit. Some people's heads turned to me, curious as to what I was going to say. More started flooding into the plaza, looking up at the podium. They were all looking at me.

I don't have stage fright, but this all just felt so oddly familiar. I didn't want to die today. 

But, no, I wasn't going to die today. Not if I went with the plan. Make a speech, call Dream on stage to make a speech, have Quackity execute him…

Scare everyone.

Loose everyone's trust.

Cause screaming and running and chaos and fights in pits and deaths and wars and-

"Hi!" I said, temporally putting my mind on pause.  _ Just give your speech.  _ "I hope you all are enjoying the festival today! Merry belated Christmas!" 

A couple  _ woo _ 's came from the crowd, and I continued, "We held this celebration not only because of Christmas, but as a celebration of-" I gulped, realizing the irony of what I was about to say, "The peacefulness that we have been able to keep in L'manburg. It's- it's good that we've been able to have our differences while still being able to live in harmony. It's truly spectacular."

I took a breath in and held my hand out in the general direction of the crowd, where Dream was sitting. "Dream? I know we've had our moments, but I feel like our quarrels have finally come to a standstill. So would you do us the honor of giving a speech?"

He looked around and pointed to himself, "Me?"

I laughed, "Yes you! Without you, we wouldn't even be here today, would we?"

He sounded skeptical, but he came up onto the podium anyway, mumbling, "No… I guess not."

I stepped back and gave Dream hold of the mic, but as I did so, I could've sworn I saw something move in the distance. It looked almost like a floating piece of paper, but then it was gone. I must've been imagining things. 

"Yes, hi." Dream started, after tapping the mic to make sure it was on. "I honestly didn't expect to be put on the spot like this… kinda odd. But, hey! I'll just reiterate what your kind president said!" 

I tensed at the mention of a 'kind president'. That's me, I'm supposed to be the kind president. I'm about to order a murder of the man on stage.

"It's really nice how everything in this nation seems to have finally come together with peace. I mean - ever since Tommy left it's as if everything's been working more smoothly than ever!"

I blinked and nodded, a bit surprised that he decided to bring up Tommy. I wish he hadn't - his death was  _ not  _ something I felt like tackling at a festival. 

"Shame he's dead now, right? Well, at least you have each other." He laughed, and I wondered if this man is really as apathetic as he's making himself sound.

I took a shaky breath, holding he'd stop talking about Tommy before I start thinking about everything. 

"Well-" Dream turned to look at me for a minute, before looking back to the audience, "There's not really much more I can say… I-"

"BRILLIANT SPEECH SIR!" Quackity walked onto stage, clapping extravagantly. "Absolutely  _ beautiful. _ "

Dream looked around nervously, "Thanks?"

Quackity walked up to Dream and shook his hand, "I don't know what you meant about not knowing what to say!" He complimented, his voice returning to normal. "Honestly that's better than anything I could ever do."

But then, right before Dream could pull away from the handshake, Quackity bounded his hands to the wall behind the podium, so he couldn't move or get any weapons.

I heard a scream from the crowd. 

He stepped back, as if to admire his work, and brushed off his hands.

"What are you doing?" Dream asked through gritted teeth, not panicking as I thought he might.

Quackity smiled maliciously, "Well, only what the whole country wants." He pulled out a crossbow and held it up to his neck. 

I heard another scream. Niki. My own citizen, screaming at the actions of her cabinet. 

"Tubbo was right!" Quackity continued, "We wouldn't be here without you, and I applaud you on that. But do you know what else?" He pulled back the crossbow, ready to fire. "We could do perfectly fine  _ without  _ you, too."

This isn't right.

I felt my ears ringing, almost the same way they did right as I got killed a couple months ago. This wasn't right.

"Goodbye Dr-"

"STOP!" 

Everyone was looking at me. Quackity was one second away from killing Dream right on stage, in front of everyone we had spent so long gaining trust from. 

Quackity looked at me for a second, annoyed, and then turned back to Dream before I could say anything more.

But before he could let go, I ran to pull the crossbow out his hands, throwing it off stage to whoever would or wouldn't catch it. I pushed him so that he wouldn't get any closer to the victim tied up. "You are  _ not  _ killing him."

"What the  _ fuck man!"  _ He shouted, "We had a  _ plan _ ! Did you forget what he did to us? Did you forget what he did to  _ Tommy _ ?"

I shook my head, backing closer to Dream as Quackity tried to get closer to his crossbow. Ranboo ran to pick it up before he could get a hold of it, shaking his head at Quackity and putting it in his enderchest. "This isn't  _ about  _ Tommy." I responded, "This isn't about  _ us!  _ You want to  _ kill a man,  _ Quackity! That's not  _ right,  _ it's  _ never  _ right!"

Quackity furrowed his eyebrows and shook his head, angry. 

"Sam?" I yelled quietly, gesturing to Dream. He got the point. He came onto stage and put handcuffs around Dream's now-untied hands.

" _ What? _ " He said, "You can't throw me in my own prison! What crimes did I even commit?" He pointed to me, "You don't have a constitution! You don't have  _ laws _ ! You just have people you do and don't like.  _ That's  _ not right _ , Tubbo."  _

I took a shaky breath in and just stared at him. He had a point, but I wasn't going to let him know that.

"You have too much control." I simply said. "You should feel lucky you're alive right now."

He sneered at me, "Yeah." He said plainly. "I'm another person who threatens your power. That's all you L'manburgians care about. It's all you've evered." 

Sam pulled him along, emptying the weapons from his pockets as they moved away from L'manburg. "I'll get out. You know I will." He didn't sound crazy or insane or even  _ angry.  _ Just… factual. "And your peace will be ruined. And it will all be your fault Tubbo." He smiled menacingly, "Just saying."

I frowned and watched as he willingly walked alongside Sam into the direction of the prison. 

I looked between Ranboo, Fundy, and Quackity, who were all looking at me with different expressions. Concerned, confused, angry.

And then at the audience, who all looked the same.  _ Scared. Frightened. _

I tried to tell them I was sorry, but all that came out was a pathetic croak. 

"What the... _ fuck was that Tubbo?!"  _ Quackity yelled. The people in the audience started walking away quickly, not wanting to get caught in any crossfire we might commit. "You went against your word!  _ Again!  _ What the  _ fuck  _ is wrong with you?!" 

"I've been on that stage before!" I yelled with no hesitation, feeling my ears get hot and my eyes get a bit glossy, "I've  _ died  _ on that stage before, Quackity! Of course you were on their side back then but if I was getting executed today you wouldn't be happy with it!"

"That's because now I'm in the  _ right."  _ He said, stepping closer to me and pointing at himself, "I know who's good and who's not, and Dream's  _ not! _ "

"So you just want to  _ kill him?" _

He poked my chest. It hurt. "Some people  _ deserve to die!  _ When will you understand that!?" 

My eyes widened, and I stepped back, scared. He was pointing at me.

He stepped back and his face morphed into regret as he realized what he was implying. "No- not you, I- damnit." 

I knew what he meant, of course I did. But- 

I shook my head in disappointment and walked off the stage. I wouldn't be able to contain him, so what was the point of arguing? 

Ranboo met me at the bottom of the steps with a light hug. I felt the tears rolling down my face, but I wasn't in the mood to cry. They were sort of just there.

Fundy walked up to us, but the moment he made it, a crossbow was shoved in our faces.

I squeaked, instinctively putting my hands up. "Sapnap?" 

"Don't you dare move!" He said as the three of us huddled closer together nervously.

I didn't dare move.

He was in full netherite, despite having been in no armour just moments before. And his crossbow was most definitely enchanted. 

Fundy grabbed our arms and tried to run in the opposite direction, but the sudden movement caused Sapnap to release an arrow. I watched in horror and the arrow went straight through Fundy's head.

"Fundy!" I shouted, the tears in my eyes getting larger as I tried not to lash out at the man in front of us. Because unlike Fundy, I'm dead if I get shot today.

"Sapnap, would you care to kindly tell us what is happening?" Ranboo said calmly. (He wasn't calm though. Of course he wasn't. We were being held to gunpoint!)

But I could see what was happening. He could see it too if he just looked.

A couple meters behind Sapnap stood Punz and Ponk, both piling up with obsidian. Walls. They were walling us in.  _ Quickly. _

"Wha- but I- Tommy's exiled!  _ Dead _ actually!" I shouted confused, "That was the deal we made Dream! We exile Tommy and the walls stay down..?" 

Sapnap shook his head, unmovingly, "I think you misunderstood the circumstances that you shook on, buddy."

I sniffed and shuffled a bit closer to Ranboo, who grabbed my hand as the two of us stared up at the wall that was forming around our country once again. The wall that we couldn't do anything about except sit and watch it get built.

But then Sapnap fell. 

...what

He was unconscious.

Ranboo and I looked at each other quickly, but then I felt a tug on my sleeve. I looked up, expecting to see a person there, but there was nothing. Maybe it was just the wind.

But then I felt it again, stronger that time. "What…" I mumbled. 

"What is it?" Ranboo asked quietly, still confused, too, by Sapnap's sudden tumble. 

My sleeve got pulled even harder, and this time it didn't stop. I was getting pulled away by nothing.

"Where are you going?" Ranboo called after me.

I tried to push away, reaching the conclusion that this was someone under the influence of an invisibility potion trying to kidnap me. Whoever it was, they had a strong grip.

"Let me go!" I yelled, pulling on my sleeve while also trying to smack a person I couldn't see, "I'm not going wherever you're taking me!"

Ranboo caught on to what was happening, and he ran up and pulled on my other arm, the two of them playing tug of war over me. "Let him go!"

But then whoever was under the cloak splashed us with another invisibility potion, so we couldn't even see each other, and said, "Take your armour off."

The voice made us stop. It was familiar. 

But… no…

He sighed and repeated himself, "Guys, take your armour off." 

"Tommy?"

"Take your fucking armour off, Tubbo." He said again, but this time I could hear the smile in his voice. 

I took my fucking armour off.

I couldn't see Ranboo anymore, so I assumed he had too. 

"We have to go and we have to go  _ fast."  _ Tommy said, grabbing my sleeve tighter and starting to run.

But I wouldn't budge, "Wait- what's happening- how are you-"

"We're running away and we're doing it  _ now _ . I'll explain later. Maybe. I don't know! We have to go!" I felt someone (Ranboo) grab a hold of my other sleeve as Tommy bolted off, leading the way as the three of us stumbled to follow one another.

I looked around and saw my own citizens running around nervously, trying to find a crack in the wall or build above it, but it was being built just too quickly.

"Where are we going?" I shouted over the wind that rushed by us as we ran, realizing that, if  _ these  _ people can't find a way out through the walls, how will we?

Tommy didn't respond and instead threw down another splash potion. Speed, as I figured out once the potion started having its effects.

"Wowah-" I heard Ranboo stumble from behind me, struggling to keep up with us. The potion must have missed him, but we were holding onto him too tightly for him to let go.

We kept running, and I wasn't quite sure about how much faith I should have in Tommy's plan. We were headed straight for a wall of obsidian. If we crash into it, we're toast.

Everyone around us was panicking. I wanted to do something to help them - I am the president after all. To tell them that it's just a drill or that it will all be better in the morning. But instead I was cowering away from my problems, running away with my two best friends because that seemed like the easiest thing to do at the time.

"Tubbo?!" I heard Fundy shout as he ran around the docks, looking for me. Tears were running down his face, and I almost stopped running when I realized that he probably thinks I got shot. And died. For good. "Has  _ anyone  _ seen Tubbo?!" 

"Hey what about me!" Ranboo joked quietly, because he knew what was happening, and the severity of it all, but he still wanted to lighten the mood. 

People around us were screaming and the walls only got higher. And I couldn't do anything but run.

We came to a slow at the edge of L'manburg, where the wall was shortest, but still unclimbable. 

"Do you still have that trident?" 

I frowned, seeing where this was going. I took it out of my bag and looked down at it, through my invisible hands, "Yes but-"

Tommy took it from me, "Hold on tight."

"Tommy I-" There's no way that trident can support three people. 

He ignored me, heading towards the lake (I could tell because the trident, unlike the rest of his body, was visible) and hopped in. 

Ranboo tightened his grip on my wrist and quietly said, "I think we should give it a try. I think we  _ have  _ to." 

I exhaled and, seeing no other choice in that moment, walked into the lake, Ranboo behind me. My suit got all wet but why's it matter? Doubt I'll be returning anytime soon.

Tommy wrapped himself around me and handed me my trident back, Ranboo joining him afterwards. It was like a group hug. A group hug, except I was about to launch us into thin air and attempt to land us outside a land we're supposed to be trapped inside. What could go wrong?

I set my trident down for a second, wrapping my arms around the two of them (had to take advantage of the hug-like position), before picking it back up and aiming. If I aimed this wrong… actually maybe I shouldn't think about that.

Ranboo screamed and I turned around quickly, looking him in the eye. I was about to ask him what was wrong but then I realized that I was  _ looking him in the eye. _ Our invisibility had worn out.

It's now or never.

I aimed the trident and counted down from three. And threw it.

I closed my eyes because I don't think I could bear to open them. If I aimed wrong, I wouldn't be able to steer us because of the weight, and if someone let go, I wouldn't want to watch. It was just better eyes-closed.

I landed in a newly-placed puddle of water and opened my eyes.

We were outside L'manburg. Both Tommy and Ranboo on the ground beside me.

Tommy.

I could see him now, that was odd. He's not a ghost and he's definitely real. 

But I couldn't think about it too much. We still had to run before they found us. 

Tommy was about to splash us with another speed potion when I saw someone looking at us from ontop a house in L'manburg. 

Fundy.

We made eye contact. He smiled sadly, wiping his eyes, and gave us a thumbs up. I mouthed the word  _ sorry  _ to him, but gave him a thumbs up in return, and he started climbing down.

"Okay." Tommy said, nodding, "Let's go."

He splashed us with another speed potion and we just ran. I don't know where we were going, but we were going. Away from the nation we had loved so dearly, but the nation that caused all of our problems, and put us in  _ so, so  _ much danger.

Away from Fundy who had gone along with everything, and is still going along with everything even after seeing we had left him behind.

Away from Quackity who may had been a little unhinged but at least he stuck with the plan.

Away from the obsidian walls of which are only filled with dispair and regret.

I guess it doesn't matter where we're going as long as we're not here. 

Safe. That's where we are. We're safe.

**Author's Note:**

> oh boy the End Notes, that means self promo time.
> 
> Leave a comment if you enjoyed, I love reading them and they make me wanna write more.
> 
> My tumblr is @nobodynose27 if u wanna follow it! I post great content like... *squints* uhh... okay maybe I don't post great content but i am pretty cool i promise.
> 
> Thanks for reading 💜


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